On the Media: Commentary by James Rainey
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John McCain is at arm's length, no longer off the cuff
Reporters covering the Republican in 2000 recall an engaging conversationalist who would talk incessantly, have a quip ready or field impromptu questions. His rigidity is now a stark contrast.
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Todd and Sarah Palin unchallenged in Fox interviews
Given the opportunity to address substantive issues in interviews with the political couple, Fox News hosts Hannity and Van Susteren instead pander to their partisan audience.
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Financial crisis fails to get its just due with TV talking heads
It's not surprising the candidates are flummoxed by a meltdown like none we have seen in our lifetimes. But reporters need to keep asking the tough questions.
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New election low: distorting the fact-checking
News outlets and independent truth squads seem to agree that the McCain camp's distortions on Barack Obama have gone too far.
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Pre-Fourth campaign news: lots of fireworks, little meat
A parade of inconsequential and misguided stories makes this week nothing to celebrate.
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Time to make candidates answer on Iraq
If you go to the Republican National Committee's website, you can watch the clock labeled "Days Since Barack Obama Visited Iraq." Tick, tick, tick. Nearly 900 days and counting. Over at moveon.org, a young mother in a 30-second ad looks into the camera and tells John McCain -- who must be plotting...
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Mainstream media not jumping on the political rumor bandwagon
Blogs have buzzed since late May with 'news' that a videotape would emerge of Barack Obama's wife spewing a racial epithet.
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In campaigns, as in basketball, the refs get worked
Phil Jackson huffed along the sidelines and unleashed a post-game rant: His Lakers were manhandled, but the Celtics got all the calls. Basketball is not a bad primer, it turns out, on how our political ballclubs carry on. Team McCain has been complaining no end about how easy that lanky young rookie,...
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Bill Clinton and John McCain share a problem
New Vanity Fair profile of Clinton doesn't let a lack of evidence get in the way of salacious innuendo.
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Campaign reporters have a nose for conflict -- real or imagined
For discord-centric members of the media, it's not so easy to give up the last story line.